Drive connection



Jan. 26, 1954 J. E. WHITFIELD 2,567,048

DRIVE CONNECTION Filed Feb. 23, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IO 3 2+ h 38 I9 UFIG. I

I JNVENTOR. JOSEPH E.WHITFIELD BY Attorney Jan. 26, 1954 .J E, wHlTFlELD2,667,048

DRIVE CQNNECTION Filed Feb. 23, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TI FIG. 4

INVENTOR. JOSEPH E.WHITFIELD f/WM Attorney Patented Jan. 26, 1954 DRIVECONNECTION Joseph E. Whitfield, Erie, Pa., assignor to Read StandardCorporation, a corporation of Delaware Application February 23, 1950,Serial No. 145,876

1 Claim.

My invention relates to drive connections wherein the drive shaft of themotive power is offset from the operating shaft of a device, ascontrasted to a direct drive connection between the source of power andthe operating shaft.

An object of the invention is to provide a drive connection of the typespecified that is applicable to a relatively short extension of theoperating shaft from the body of the device, and that is interchangeablewith a direct drive connection without alteration of the operating shaftof the device.

Another object is to provide an improved drive connection embodying aslip type coupling affording simple and convenient assembly anddisassembly.

Further objects of the invention contemplates the provision of'a pulleyand belt or similar'drive connection for the operating shaft of a devicewherein the operating shaft is relieved of forces exerting a bendingstrain thereon; wherein the bearings supporting the operating shaft inthe device are relieved of strains incident to pull of the pulley belt;and wherein side thrust on the drive connection coupling by the pulleybearing is eliminated.

Still another object resides in the provision of a lubricating systemfor the drive connection integral with the lubricating system of thedevice being driven.

Other objects and advantages of the invention such as the mountingof thedrive connection and the novel combination and arrangement of parts,will become apparent from the following detailed description, referencebeing had to the accom- V panying drawings. On these drawings; whichillustrate the invention as applied to an axial flow screw type blower,

Figure 1 isa side elevation of the drive connection as applied to anaxial flow type blower;

Figure 2 is a sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figures is a sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4' is a vertical central sectional view through a modifiedform ofdrive connection; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 4.

In the drawings the drive connection is shown as applied to the rotorshaft of an axial flow screw type blower, as exemplified in my UnitedStates Letters Patent No. 2,287,716. However, it is apparent that theinvention is equally adaptable to devices in general having a rotatableoperating shaft.

Referring to Figure 1, the numeral [0 designates an axial flow screwtype blower ofthe-type shown in my patent, referred to above. The blowerI0 comprises a housing I! in which are mounted intermeshing main or malerotor l2 and gate or female rotor l3. The housing I l is provided withend walls It and [5 in which are mounted bearing assemblies (not shown)for'the shafts of the rotors I2 and I3.

One end of the shaft l6, Figure 3, of the rotor i2 extends beyond theend wall Mand-isarra-nged to be connected to any suitable source ofpower (not shown) for rotating-the shaft It.

The improved drive connection constituting my invention is mounted withand supported by'the blower housingv II and comprises a cylindricalsupport member I! integrally formed with end cover is which fits aboutthe'shaft I6 and forms a closure for its bearing assembly. Any suitablemeans, as bolts. 19, rigidly secure the end cover It to the housing endwall [4.

The portion of shaft l5 projecting beyond the housing ll extends axiallywithin the cylindrical support member I! and is formed with a taperedend portion 20 terminating considerably short of the outer end of themember I]. Arranged for a slip fit over. the tapered shaft portion 20'is a hub. 2| provided at' its. inner end with an inte rally formedinvolute external spline 22. The spline 22 and shaft 46 are held indriving engagement by means of a key 23'fitting incomplementarylongitudinal keyways in the outer and inner surfaces, respectively, ofthe tapered shaft portion 20 and the hub 2i. A clamp plate 24, fittingover the outer ends of 'the'hub 2| and the tapered shaft portion 29, issecured to the latter by means of capv screws 25 which together, withthe tapered engaging surfaces of the shaft portion 20 and hub 2| ofspline 22, prevents relative longitudinal displacement of the spline 22with respect to shaft. l6;

An adapter shaft 26 in axial alinement with shaft It forms an extension;of the latter and is operatively connected with it in the mannerherewith set forth. The adapter shaft 26 comprises an inner enlargedhollow open ended; shaft section 2! disposed Wholly within thecylindrical support member H and encompassing the hub member 2|. Theouter shaft section 28 of adapter shaft 26 has a considerably smallerdiameter than shaft section 21 and a portion of it extends into thecylindrical support member I! and a portion ofv it projects outwardlybeyond the member H.

The enlarged shaft section 21 is formed adjacent its open end with aninternal involute spline 29 meshing with the spline 22.

Adapter shaft 28 is mounted in roller bearing 30 carried by thecylindrical support member l1. Roller bearing 30 is disposed about thesmaller diameter shaft section 28 adjacent the enlarged section 21.Keyed on the outer portion of the shaft section 28 is a pulley hub 3|providing for driving engagement therebetween. A clamp plate 32 fittingover the outer ends of the hub 3| and adapter shaft 25, is secured tothe latter by means of cap screws 33, whereby accidental longitudinalmovement of hub 3| outwardly along shaft section 28 is prevented whileat the same time providing for convenient assembly.

A portion of the hub 3| extends into the cylindrical support member l1and disposed therebetween is a labyrinth sealing ring 34 held in placeby a snap ring 35. An oil slinging disc 3'6 is disposed on the shaftsection 28 and is held between the inner race of the bearing 30 and theend of the pulley hub 3|, whereby it will rotate with the shaft.

The pulley hub 3| is provided with a radially extending flange 31 towhich a pulley 33 is securely fastened by means of bolts 39 extendingthrough the internal radial flange 49 into the mating flange 31 ofpulley hub 3|. The pulley 38 is connected by suitable belting (notshown) with a source of power (not shown) whereby through the driveconnection described power is transmitted to rotor shaft Hi. It isapparent that the entire weight of the pulley and any strains incidentto a pulley drive are by the driving connection described, transmittedto the blower housing. The novel driving connection also provides fortransmitting power from a drive pulley to a comparatively short rotorshaft extension and it is easily assembled or disassembled.

In order to provide for lubrication of the driving connection, the upperportion of the end cover In is provided with a downwardly extendingpassage 42 connected in any suitable manner with the oil reservoir (notshown) for the blower, as by the tube 43. A passage 44 of smallerdiameter than passage 42 communicates with the lower end thereof anddirects oil to a bearing (not shown) for the rotor shaft i6. Ahorizontally extending passage 45, also communicating with the lower endof passage 42, is formed in the upper portion of the cylindrical supportmember through which oil will pass to a downwardly directed orifice 48.

The enlarged hollow section 21 of adapter shaft 25 is provided with apair of diametrically opposed openings 41, as best shown in Figure 2,and disposed as shown in during rotation of the adapter shaft 26. Thus,a portion of the oil discharged from orifice 45 will be supplied to thebearing 30 through the space 48 between the inner and outer walls,respectively, of the cylindrical support member l1 and the enlargedshaft section 21 and a portion willbe supplied to the splines 22 and 29through the space 49 between inner and outer walls, respectively, of thehollow shaft section 21 and hub 2|. A groove formed in the lowermostportion of the cylindrical support member provides a passage for excessoil to the drain passage 5| in the end cover IS. A drain pipe 52communicating with the drain passage 5| leads oil back to the oilreservoir (not shown). The

Figure 3 to alternately communicate with the oil discharge orifice 46passage 5| also forms a drain for excess oil from the rotor shaftbearing (not shown).

In Figures 4 and 5 is shown a modified form of the invention. In thisform of the invention, as in the preferred form, the rotor shaft isentirely relieved of the weight and any strains incident to the pulleydrive.

A cylindrical support member 60 integrally formed with a cover 6|surrounds the shaft extension 62. A sleeve-like hollow shaft member 63surrounding the shaft extension 62 is mounted for rotation in bearings64 which are carried by the cylindrical support member 60.

The member 63 is provided with a radial flange 55 at its outer endbeyond the end of the support member 6|]. A pulley 56 extends about andbeyond the support member 60 and is provided at its outer end with anannular inwardly extending flange 61 arranged to mate with the radialflange 65. Suitable means, as bolts 68, extend ing through the matingflanges B5 and S1 rigidly secure the pulley 56 with the member 63, whichin turn is, as previously described carried by the support member 60.

The outer end portion of the shaft extension 52 is tapered, as at 69,and keyed thereon is a hub 19. Between the adjacent ends of the hub 10and sleeve member 63 and fitting loosely about the shaft 62 is anannular plate The plate H is provided on one face with diametricallyextending rib 12 arranged to be engaged in a corresponding groove 13 inthe adjacent end face of the hub 10. The opposite face of the plate 12is provided with a diametrically extending groove 14, at right angleswith respect to the rib 12, which is arranged to receive a diametricallyextending rib 15 on the adjacent end face of the sleeve member 63. Thereis thus provided a self aligning driving connection.

I claim:

A pulley drive connection for an operating shaft projecting from thehousing of a device actuated by said shaft, comprising a cylindricalsupport member adapted for attachment to said housing surrounding saidshaft projection, a pulley surrounding said support member, a bearingcarried by said cylindrical support member and an adapter shaftjournaled in said bearing, means for securing said pulley to saidadapter shaft, 2. driving connection between said adapter shaft and saidoperating shaft projection, and a common lubricating system for saiddevice and said bearing and driving connection comprising a lubricantinlet and outlet in said support member and lubricant feed passages insaid support member providing communication between said inlet and saiddevice and said bearing and driving connection, and lubricant dischargepassages in said support member providing communication between saidoutlet and said device and said bearing and driving connection.

JOSEPH E. WHITFIELD.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS NumberName Date 1,709,480 Lyford Apr. 16, 1929 1,947,796 Radford Feb. 20. 19342,489,642 Hesse Nov. 29, 1949 2,518,481 Maguire Aug. 15, 1950

